Renewable rail-bed structure and method of construction



Feb. 17. m25.

HELXEYMBLE RAIL BED STRU Filed May lf.) 1924 1,5224 W. P. BAY

CTURE AND METHOD 0F CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

H /12' /lo o e o L o o l (EL o *I Le: -o M o HL 1;

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Feb. 17. 19.25. 1,527,124

W. F. DAY

RENEWABLE RAIL BED STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF' CONSTRUCTION Filed May lO, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 16 .l5 l@ l5 lg Wmmm @n DA Patente-d Feb. 17, i925.

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VJILLIAIS l?. DAY, OF CLEVELAND? OHIO.

RENEWABLE RAIL-BED STRUCTURE AND iET-GD GF CGNSTRUCTION.

Application led May l0, 1924.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be. it known that l, llli'rmiagr l). DAY, a citizen ot the United States, residing` at Cleveland, in the county ot Lhiyahoga and State ot hio` have invented certain ne and use'tll Improvements in Renewible Rail-Bed Structures and liethods ot' Construction. ot' which the following is a speci- [ic-ation.

This invention relates to the construction of rail beds and particularly to the method ot' forming a substructure or bed beneath the rails ot street railvvay tracks and to the structure itself.

Ordinarily in the construction otI beds 'tor street railways. the concrete is lampe-l under and around the steel ties to make certain ot' a complete bearing. There is always more or less diltlculty attendant upon this method as it is ditl'cnlt to the Workmen to tamp the concrete to make certain oit a complete and uniform bearine'` nnless the operation ot the mixing;l of the concrete is tolloived very closely by continuons inspection. rThe Workmen vvill be inclined to make the mix too sott in order to make it flow under the plates easily, thus reducing` their labor in tamping it` and this use oit a relatively sott mix reduces the strength ot the concrete.

Another ditlicnlty encountered Where concrete is used as a road hed immediately beneath the rails and metallic tie structure ot the road7 is that when it is required to reuenv the rails, it is necessary to dig up this concrete ivhieh is a difficult operation` in order to put down the nen' rails.

One ot the objects ot the present invention is to provide a substructure :tor street railway rails and to provide a method ot forming this substructure sneh that this diculty oit tamping the concrete Will be entirely obviated, and 'tui-ther to so torni this substructure that the middlel portions of the ties between the tracks are embedded or otherwise engaged with the concrete base ot the road bed but that the supporting or bearing` plates and the rails themselves are initially left in spaced relation to the eoncrete base, this space being' afterwards' filled in by tamping with a dry mix or With any suitable material which will form a.

Serial No. 712,203.

erpportinpr layer tor the bearing plates and ttor the rails thcn'iselves between the concrete and the bearing plates and rails which also? atter it sets. may be removed to permit the removal and the renewal ot the rails without cuttingl into or in any ivay atleetinn' the oriinal concrete baser so that after the new rails are set in place and, it necessary7 nen' supporting plates or bearing; plates are put in place, a fresh layer ot lilli-ne` material. preferably vof a cementitionsl nature. may be taniped beneath the bearing plates and beneath the rails, thus rendering the renewal ot the rails a relatirely cheap and easy matter as against the relatively ditlicnlt and expensive matter under the old arrangement.

l 'further object ot the invention is to provide a filling layer ot a di llerent chan actcr or type than the concrete base, this layer being' softe' than the concrete base and ot such a di'llferent character that a clear line ot demarcation or cleavage is secured between the filling layer and the concrete base, making' it a comparatively eas;T matter to remove the filler troni under the rails and plates When the reneival takes place.

Another object is to provide a method oit construction which locks the track doivn to the road bed betore the tamping` ot material beneath the rails and beneath the bearing' plates takes place, so that when the filling is tamped beneath the rails and beneath the bearing plates, this tamping` operation Will not act to tilt or otherwise get the track structure out ot' proper horizontal position or the position in which it is desired to be. this tainping ot the filling material under these circumstances beneath the rails and bearing plates acting to lock the track and make a particularly ef'l'cctive track supporting struc-ture.

Still another object is to provide a. method ot construction which insures a much more rigid type ot track foundation than is possible with the ordinary methods ot construction.

Vlith these and other objects in vien'. as will more t'ully appear as the description proceeds. the invention consists in the method and apparatus hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying1 drawings, wherein Figure l is a plan view ot a track structure showing' the tirst step in my improved nethod;

Fig. 2 is a longitudine-.l section showingT the econd step in my improved method;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing` the third step in the method;

Fig. et is a lil-Ie view to Figure S showing the fourth step;

Figure 5 is a like view to Figure l but showing the last and `final step in carrying out my invention; f

Figure 6 is a section on the line the?) of Figure Ll;

Figure Figure Figure 8 is a cross sectional view on the same plane as lFigure 6, but showing a slightly modified torni ot construction;

Figure Si is a lille section to liigurc 8 but showing' the filler and the sealing' concrete in place.

Referring particularly o Figures to el, which illustrate step by step the construction of the track, it will be seen that I have illustrated the rails il as beingV innncdiately supported by means of a tie structure such as illustrated in my Patent #1,317,779, `,ranted on the 7th day ot Lctober, i919, this tie structure comprising bearing plates l0 upon which the railsfrest and transverse ties or bars ll extending between and at tached to the bearing` plates and thus holding the bearing,` plates, and therefore the rails7 from any movement out olf parallelism. The members ll are preferably angular in cross section, as illustrated in Figure rlhe plates 'i0 are 'toi-ined to provide lor .rail clamps l2 and bolts i3 which hold the rails il down upon these supporting or bearing plates l0.

It is usual in laying a tract; comprising the rails A and the plates l() and transverse n'ieinbers ll. to torni a concrete base entirely beneath the track and extending;` laterally outward beyond the plates 10, this concrete base extending longitudinally along the entire track. ln carryingv out my method ot making the ruil bed, l tirst dispose the rails upon blocks 14; as illustrated in Figure 2, these blocks resting! upon the sub-base l5 ot the road bed.4 these rails having attached thereto the plates l() und the transverse ties or members ll. litter the rails have been placed in the position which they are to occupy and supported upon the blocks 14;, I till the space between the sub-base l5 and the rails itwith concrete le (see Fig. 3). This concrete is preferably iilled up to a level with the under faces ot the plates l0 but is a section on the line T--T ot' and slightly above the upper faces ot theV transverse members or tie bars ll, as illustrated in Fig. 6, thus embedding the members or tie bars 1l and holding these meinbers from upward movement. Before this concrete is set, a depth ot' about two inches is removed from beneath the rail and be neath the bottom of the plates lO (sce Fig. d), this concrete beneath the plates l() bein@` removed for a distance on each side ot the plates and the same being true with regard to the rails, this distance being` sufficient to permit a dry mix or other Filler to be tamped into place beneath the rails and beneath the plates 10. Attention is called to the fact that the concrete extends over the cross ties or tie members il so that these tie members between the plates are iirmly engaged with the concrete base 1G.

lifter the concrete has set and thoroughly hardened, the space li' beneath the plates" l() and beneath the rails A, as shown in Figure 5, is talnped with a filling lll. This is preferably a dry mix, though I do not wish to be limited to this, and preterabliv is ceinentitious in character. This dry mix may be, for instance, con'iposed ot asphalt or may be a dry mix ot slag` screenings and cement or any other material. At any rate, it should be a mix ot asphalt or a preparation ot asphalt and some other inaterial which is softer than the concrete and which `will he ot such a dillierent character that there will be a distinct plane oi clearagi'e between the liller and the concrete atteithe tillcr has hardened and which will be easier to reinoye from under the rails anu plates when renewal takes place. This also gives the cars a chance to ride on the tainped material rather than on the original base ot concrete. lzreterably this tanipingi is done with power tampers and utter this liller is fully set the rails are then disposed upon the plates lll and held down by the bolts and fastening devices.

'il here is a dilierence between the concrete and the tiller and a distinct line ot deniar cation between the two which permits thil tiller to be cut away Atrom beneath the rail and troni beneath the tie plate l() whenever it is desired to remore the original rail and renew it. The renewal. ot the rails is thus rendered much cheaper than it would otherwise be for the reason that the concrete base does not have to be cut into and more or less destroyed in order to remove the rails` and all that has to be destroyed or rcmored is the relatively setter tilling .i7 between the concrete base and the under laces oit' the plates.

Furthermore, when the tiller li' is tamped between the base and the plate l0 and between the base and the rail, this liller as it is forced inward forces the plate and the rail upward because the middle portions ot the ties or the transverse members l] are held irmly against any upward Inoveinent and against any movement in either llt) lcrete.

structure getting `out fof 'place or llifting direction byb'eing embedded inthe con- Thus there lsnofdanger ofthe'tle more on ones-idetha'n the other. lf these ties or transverse members were not `held `down atthemiddle bythe cementv or concrete and-vafdry mix was then tamped beneath the rails 4and beneaththe rail-sup portingp'lates, tlierewou-ld be 4a tendency for one workman -to tamp vmore material beneath the'bearing plate and beneath the Y rail vthan another workman `4and thus this VVAthe recesslT and the under face ofthe plate l0 and the rail A, la-sealing mass of concrete, designated 19,-isy used to fill up the recess 17 and to extend over the top of the plate 10,

rthefastening devices, -and thebase of the rail VA. "Thissealing mass 19 ofconcrete, afteritV has set, holds* the filling in place, preveutsiits removah a-nd at thesame time actsL to holdthe rails lfirmly in place upon the substructure. At the same time' this sealing mass of vconcrete is notbonde'd to the concrete 16- so that: the vsealing mass `of -concrete 19 maybe readily removed andthe .fillerremoredwvhen itis desired t-olreplace or renew the rails. `It `will be' seen that this constructionisthe same in principle as the construction V'which l 'have heretofore described, except that the filler is #entirely sealed in -and iprotected by the sealing mass19.

While thisnew'method of concreting the ties under the bearing plates, that is of placing lling material beneath the bearing plates, is slightly more expensive than the old construction. the assurance of having a complete bearing more than justifies this added cost, and not only is there this assurance, but there is an assurance that the track will not be thrown out of level and that the renewals may be made at a much less cost than ordinarily, and it will be noted that these renewals do not require the destruction or non-use of the original concrete base but that this concrete base is used as a support for the original filling and for the Filling which will be placed beneath the renewed rails and plates if the plates 10 are renewed. While I preferably use a cementitious filler 18 beneath the plates 10 and the rails, I do not wish to be limited to a cementitious filler as a filler of any other character might be used.

transversely and :longitudinally vI- claim 1. A method of Yforming `a railroadbed including blocking up the parallelrails of the trac i and connecting the'rails bytransverse members, casting concrete beneath the rails and transverse members, this concrete being engaged with the transverse members, *but there. being aspace formed between the under faces of the bases of the rails and the concrete, allowing the concrete to set,and` fiilhue thespacebetween the-rails and the concrete with a filling of-softer character thanl the concrete.

2. A method ofvtornnng a bed `for railroad track including connecting the parallel lrails of the track by transverse members and supporting,plates -at intervals beneath the rails. for-nung -a concrete base extending transversely and longitudinally beneath both rails and beneath said plates, the transverse membersbeing embedded in' the concrete, forming a space between the concrete andthe under faces of the rails and the under faces of the supportingplates. allowing the concrete to set, andtilling the said -space with a filler.

'3. Afmetho'd of forming abed for railroad track includingl connecting'the parallel `rails of the track by transverse members and supporting plates at intervals beneath the rails for-nung a-'concrete base extending beneath bothrails and beneath said plates, the trans verse-men'iber being-embedded in the conrete,forming'a space between the concrete 'andthealn'der-faces of the rails andthe under faces of the support-ing plates, allowing the concrete to set, and filling the said Aspace witha -cenientit'ious `filler having a different character from the concrete.

ist. Amethod of forming-a railroad track bediinclirdingconnecting the parallel -rails Aby beari-ngplates disposed `at intervals beneath the rails and: by transverse tie ineinbers connected to the bearing plates, supporting the parallel rails andthe plates and ties in spaced relation to the said bed, tilling the space between said rails, the trans verse members, the plates and the said bed with concrete, said concrete extending on each side beyond the rails and longitudinallv for the entire length of the track the transverse members between the plates being fulliY engaged with the concrete, allowing the concrete to set and while it is in a partially softened condition cutting out the concrete from beneath the rails and beneath said plates, tamping a cementitious filler between the plates and the concrete base and between the plates and the concrete base, and allowing the cementitious filler to harden, the cementitious filler being of such character that a line of demarcation is left bctween the filler and the concrete base.

5. A method offorming a bed for railroad rails comprising casting a concrete base beneath the rails, all-owing the concrete to set, cutting the concrete base out from be neath the rails to a width greater than the width of the rails, and filling the space between the concrete and the rails with a cementitious filler having a character softer than that of the concrete base whereby said liller may be cut out without cutting into the concrete base.

6. A method of forming a bed for railway rails and bearing plates upon which the rails rest consisting in forming a concrete base beneath the rails and bearing plates, allowing said concrete base to set, cutting the concrete base while still slightly soft from beneath the rails and the plates, tamping the space between the concrete base and the rails and plates with a cementitious filler, and forming curbs on each side of the rail and the plate to prevent the lateral spreading of the filler.

7. A rail supporting structure comprising rail supporting plates, rails mounted upon the supporting plates, transverse ties connecting the plates, a base of concrete embedding the transverse ties and extending` beyond the rails on each side thereof and longitudinally7 along the track, the concrete base being formed to provide a. space beneath the under faces of the rails and the plates, and a filling of cementitious material, relatively softer' than the concrete base, disposed between the under faces of the plates and the under faces of the rails and the upper face of the concrete base and having a width greater than that of the plates and of the rails. l

8. A rail supporting structure of the character described comprising parallel rails, bearing plates disposed atintervals Valong the track and upon which the rails immediately rest, transverse tie members connected to said bearing plates and extending transversely between the rails and'base of concrete disposed beneath the rails, the plates, andy embedding the transverse ties, the base beneath the plates and rails being reduced in thickness so as to provide a space between the upper face of the base and the plates and rails and of a width greater than that of the plates and rails, and a filling of cementitious material tamped into place in this space and having tight contact with the walls of the space and with the under faces of the plates and rails, this filling being of a cementitious nature but of a different and relatively softer character fromy the character of the base.

9. A rail supporting structure of the character described comprising a concrete base, a rail supported in spaced relation to the concrete base, and a iiller of'` cementitious material disposed between the rail and thel base having a width greater than that of the rail and tamped beneath the rail, there being a clear plane of demarcation between the filler and the concrete base, the filler being of material which may be more readily removed than the concrete of the base.

l0; A method of forming a bed for rail road track including connecting the parallel rails of the track by transverse members, forming a concrete base extending longitudinally and transversely beneath the ails and transverse members, the transverse members being embedded in the concrete, forming a space between the concrete and the under faces of the rails and the under faces of the ends of the transverse members, said space extending beyond the transverse members and being wider than the width of the rail allowing theconcrete to set, and filling said space with a cementitious filler.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAlW P. DAY. 

